BCD160DN Menus, Entering Data & Settings

Summary: How to use the BCD160DN’s menus, enter names and frequencies, and the options in the Settings menu, including reset and firmware update.

The Main Menu

Press MENU. The items are Program Channel, Search Options, Search for…, Priority Scan, WX Operation, Tone-Out for… and Settings. Turn the scroll control clockwise to move forward through the list and counter-clockwise to go back.

Entering Data

• Turn the scroll control to choose a character. Order: capitals, lower case, numbers, special characters, blank. Press the control or Yes/E to select.
• 4 moves the cursor left, 6 right.
• ./No clears a character; twice clears all.
• Yes/E or pressing the control saves and exits.

Valid frequencies run from 25.0000 to 960.0000 MHz, with 513.0000-758.0000 MHz and 823.9900-849.0100 MHz not supported. The scanner rounds an entry to the nearest supported step. If you enter an invalid frequency for a Quick Search, it shows Out of Band and beeps three times.

Set Backlight

Menu, Settings, Set Backlight.

• Set Mode: 10 sec or 30 sec (after pressing the backlight key), Squelch (on when squelch opens, for 5 seconds), Keypress (on when any key is pressed, for 10 seconds) or Infinite (on until you press the key again).
• Set Dimmer: High, Middle, Low or Off (as you scroll, a sample screen shows).

Adjust Key Beep

Off, Level 1-15, or Auto (follows the master volume). The scanner beeps at each level as you scroll.

Battery Option

Set Battery Save (On/Off) and Set Charge Time (1-14 hours). See BCD160DN Batteries, Charging & Turning On.

Adjust Contrast

Fifteen levels; the screen changes as you scroll.

Band Defaults

Change what “Auto” means for each band. Because modulation and step default to Auto, this saves setting them when you programme. These settings don’t affect service searches. For each band choose a modulation (AM, NFM, FM, WFM or FMB) and then a step (Auto, 5, 6.25, 7.5, 8.33, 10, 12.5, 15, 20, 25, 50 or 100 kHz). The default table is in BCD160DN Reference Tables & How Do I…?.

Factory Reset

Warning: this clears all data and settings you’ve entered, and you can’t restore deleted programming. You can restore only the original factory settings. Choose Factory Reset, then OK (or Cancel). The power turns off after the reset. Uniden recommends backing up your settings first with the BCDX60DN SS program.

Firmware Version

Shows the firmware version, serial number and checksum. Uniden recommends installing the latest firmware.

Updating the Firmware

Uniden releases firmware updates from time to time. It takes a few minutes with Uniden’s BC_VUP update software, which you download from the BCD160DN product page on uniden.com. Connect the scanner to your PC with the USB cable and select Mass Storage, then in BC_VUP choose Model/Version and follow the prompts. BC_VUP connects to the internet to find the current firmware.

Backing Up Before You Reset or Program

Uniden’s BCDX60DN SS program can back up and transfer your programming. UKAFG’s Squawker PC Scanner Programmer also makes an automatic backup before every write – see BCD160DN Loading Frequencies From Squawker PC & Squawker Online.